Mitsubishi Pajero vs Jeep Compass
What's the difference?

Mitsubishi Pajero

—

2022 price

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Jeep Compass

$14,990 - $33,850

2022 price

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Jeep Grand Cherokee L

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2022 Mitsubishi Pajero

2022 Jeep Compass

By Marcus Craft

By Tim Nicholson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo 4, 2.4L

Diesel Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Diesel

Fuel Efficiency

8.0L/100km (combined)

6.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Price-tag
Decent all-rounder
Seven seats

Excellent multimedia system
New semi-premium interior
Spacious cabin

Dislikes

No Super Select II
Not as refined as rivals
Lacks some safety tech

Overall drive experience
Badly executed driver assist systems
Poor value for money

2022 Mitsubishi Pajero Summary

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is one of the quiet-achieving top-sellers in the Australian 4WD market and now 2WD five- and seven-seater variants have been added to further expand the popular SUV wagon line-up.

With sub-$50,000 price-tags being touted, is a 2WD Pajero Sport worth your consideration?

We had a seven-seater variant for a week to see how it stacks up against its 2WD rivals and its own 4WD stablemates.

Read on.

View full pricing & specs

2022 Jeep Compass Summary

The Jeep Compass is something of a unicorn among the long list of small SUVs sold in Australia. It is now the only model in either the light or small-SUV category that is available with a diesel engine.

That diesel is found under the bonnet of just one variant – the rugged Trailhawk which is also the flagship of the range.

Aside from Suzuki’s adorable Jimny light SUV, the Compass Trailhawk is the only small SUV with some off-road ability.

After going on sale in Australia in late 2017, the second-generation Compass was overhauled as part of a mid-life update in 2021. Aside from subtle styling tweaks, the biggest change was a new multimedia system.

Has Jeep done enough to lift the Compass from an also-ran to a model that buyers should consider, or was the update too little, too late?

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2022 Mitsubishi Pajero 2022 Jeep Compass

Verdict

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 2WD seven-seater is a well-built and well-priced family-friendly wagon.

It's nice to drive, has a rather comfortable interior and – bonus – the vehicle on which it's based has proven credibility as a no-nonsense and highly functional touring vehicle.

But in 2WD guise it's missing something: namely Super Select II, which accounts for a considerable chunk of the 4WD Pajero Sport’s appeal – so the absence of that in this 2WD version is a significant negative, in my books.

The not-so-subtle point I’m trying to make? Sure, the 2WD Pajero Sport is a few grand cheaper than its 4WD stablemate and it's a solid value-for-money buy as is, but I reckon paying the extra cash to get your hands on a Pajero Sport that's equipped with Super-Select II is the better bet.

Verdict

The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is a curious beast. On the one hand, it looks pretty cool, and it has a well-executed new interior, featuring one of the best multimedia set-ups in the business. It’s spacious and has a long list of standard comfort and safety gear.

Sadly, that’s where the positives end.

It is way too expensive for what you get, especially when you consider the quality of some of its rivals from mainstream and premium brands.

The driver assist features are badly in need of recalibration and the overall drive experience is a letdown.

If you really want a diesel-powered small SUV, perhaps look at one of the much better diesel models at the smaller end of the medium-SUV segment.

Mitsubishi Pajero vs Jeep Compass What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mitsubishi Pajero vs Jeep Compass
What's the difference?